


Short Fuse

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: First Times, M/M, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 01:38:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/792535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim has trouble controlling his possesive feelings toward his partner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Short Fuse

**Author's Note:**

> My first J/B slash story. Unbeta'd and I'm sure it shows (hint, hint).   
>  Originally posted 12/8/99.

## Short Fuse

by Jen

Summary: Jim has trouble controlling his possesive feelings toward his partner. 

Warnings: m/m 

* * *

Short Fuse 

Jen 

Jim's heart raced for a moment then he willed it to slow down. Blair had entered the building and would soon be moving his way through the bullpen laughing and charming everyone in his path. That was Sandburg bubbly, energetic, well liked. A little too well liked by some Jim thought frowning as he sensed the waves of arousal coming from two of the uniformed officers Blair came in with, and only one of them was female! 

Jim groaned to himself forcing a rather grim smile to his lips as Sandburg tossed a casual wave his way before returning to his flirting. Flirting with the female cop that was. Sandburg never looked twice at a man as far as Jim had ever noticed and he had devoted considerable sentinel ability to this subject. Hiding his feelings from his partner was difficult and knowing that many others shared his at least physical urges made him thoroughly depressed. 

From the day they had met and the blonde TA had declared Blair adorable, Jim had overheard similar comments, although some were considerably less couth than that young woman's. Wouldn't Sandburg be horrified to know how many men found him just adorable as well including one beat up old cop. He was adorable Jim thought smiling goofily and luscious, and sexy as hell. 

"Jim, Jim, hey man where were you?" blue, blue eyes friendly smiling gazed into his. 

"Huh?" Jim smiled dreamily up at his best friend. 

"You were zoning man, what were you thinking about?" 

Blair chuckled and Jim flushed hastily shuffling some papers on his desk. 

"Must've been a good one, huh? Blair winked and Jim flushed even deeper. 

"Ellison, Sandburg, my office!" 

Grateful for once at hearing Simon's bellow, Jim escaped 

* * *

Jim pushed through the small crowd of students waiting outside of Sandburg's office. By the overwhelming smell of pheromones not many of them were there to seriously discuss their love of anthropology with teacher. This just really pissed Jim off, and he shoved rudely past two pretty young things, who were directly in front of Blair's office door. Either one of them would rate as Sandburg's type, hell anything in a skirt was his partner's type. The man was a complete dog. 

"Hey we- oh Jim, uh, hi man what's going on?" Blair looked up, startled as someone burst unexpectedly into his office. Just Jim and he was looking highly irritated. Blair sighed deeply, forcing a smile. What had he done now? Used the wrong Tupperware container for his lunch? 

"What I can't visit, something has to be going on?" Jim grated out caustically, pacing restlessly around the small room. He was a big man and took up a lot of space, making the other two occupants of the room feel claustrophobic. 

"Nooo, ok this is Nick, Nick my roommate Jim," Jim bared his teeth at the kid who in his humble opinion was _way_ too good looking and young. And shit- _way_ too interested in _his_ friend. 

"R-roommate?" the young god stammered, looking devastated. 

"Don't worry, Nick we're just good friends," Jim slammed out of the office leaving behind a bewildered Blair and embarrassed Nick. 

* * *

"No, he's not here!" Jim barked then rudely hung up on the woman. Third one that night calling for Blair. Damned sluts! 

Just then he heard Blair's key in the door. He'd been so busy stewing over those phone calls. Those women with sexy young voices, that he hadn't noticed his friend enter the building. 

"Hey man how's it going?" Blair breezed in looking a little tired, but cheerful, happy to be home. 

"Peachy," Jim glared and Blair's smile faded. 

"Ok anything you want to talk about?" the younger man threw his keys in the basket and tossed his backpack on the couch. 

"No, I'm going to bed," Jim gave the backpack a significant glare and brushed rudely past his roommate. 

"Well uh then goodnight, Blair stared after him in confusion, "oh Jim any calls?" 

"No!" Jim bellowed as he sprinted up the stairs. 

* * *

Poker night at Simon's place and the whole gang was there including a couple of new guys Rafe had brought with him. 'Good more money for me,' grinned Jim to himself, for once feeling calm and contented and full of beer. Sandburg was by his side, giving him plenty of attention and there wasn't a woman in sight, well except for Connor, but she didn't count. 

Yeah life was good and that's when it started. One of the rookies Rafe had brought was sneaking peeks at Blair. Young, handsome almost as good looking as that Nick, he was eyeing Sandburg like he wanted to throw him down on the poker table and... 

"What are you looking at?" Jim growled at the kid and suddenly the room was deathly quiet. 

"N-nothing," the rookie squeaked completely intimidated by Jim in his alpha male mode. 

The kid really didn't want to piss off Ellison well known for being, er, grumpy. Hell, he admired the man. Cop of the year, older, experienced, and envied him as well because apparently Rafe had been wrong. There _was_ something going on between Ellison and the delectable Blair. 

"I think you're looking at Blair and I don't like it," Jim knew he should shut up, that he was drunk, that he was making a fool of himself, but he couldn't seem to stop. 

"Uh, Jim come on man chill out," Blair was bouncing nervously now, his beautiful eyes wide, his hand gripping Jim's shoulder, willing him through touch to calm down. 

"I- sorry I didn't mean anything," the kid placated, his face flaming. He could see his life flashing before his eyes as Ellison shook Blair off, and slowly advanced on him. 

"Oh shit!" Rafe breathed and Brown nodded. Jim looked ready to kill the boy. 

"Jim!" Simon and Blair yelled simultaneously, but Ellison ignored them backing the hapless rookie into a corner. 

"You don't look at him, got it!" Jim bellowed and the young cop flinched. "I'm sick and tired of everyone wanting to fuck Sandburg!" 

"Jim, hey big guy, leave him alone, come here with me," Jim turned bloodshot eyes on Blair. 

"Come on man let's go home," Blair smiled sweetly and Jim felt good again, almost cool collected. 

"He _was_ looking at you, Blair," Jim offered meekly, hoping his friend wouldn't be too angry with him. 

"Ok, Jim but he's sorry now, right, uh, Matt?" Blair soothed running his hands down Jim's muscular arms, glancing at the other man. 

"Yeah, sorry," the boy agreed eagerly, careful not to make the mistake of looking at Blair Sandburg again. 

"Let's go home and talk this all out, ok, buddy?" Blair looked up at Jim his eyes full of concern. Jim visibly melted under the younger man's perusal. "Ok, Chief. 

Everyone in the room visibly sagged with relief. 

Jim wrapped himself so fiercely around Blair that the younger man could hardly walk. 

"Jim, Jim. man. let go you're gonna break a rib or something," Blair gently complained and Jim loosened his hold, but didn't release the younger man. 

Blair managed to get them both to the truck and persuaded Jim to let him drive. 

Silence reigned as Jim fell into a morose mood brought on by too much alcohol and emotion. Blair didn't know what to say. It seemed pretty obvious to him that Jim had an, er , _thing_ for him. 

Their arrival at the loft was anticlimactic. Jim refused to discuss what had happened and simply went to bed. Blair couldn't sleep. His mind was racing with the implications of Jim's actions. Finally he fell asleep on the couch, exhausted by all the emotional upheaval. 

* * *

Blair awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee brewing and sat up feeling as if he hadn't slept at all. His head was pounding and he dreaded having to face Jim. Last night he had wanted to talk it all out. Now he wasn't so sure he did. 

Jim appeared looking even worse than he felt and silently handed Blair a cup of the coffee. 

"Thanks, man" Blair tried a smile, but it came off looking more like a grimace of pain. 

Jim turned his head, 'So now he knows, and he's completely disgusted.' 'Wonder how long it will take him to pack?' 

"Jim," Blair spoke almost in a whisper, studying his coffee intently, "do you have feelings for me?" 

Jim tensed up and began pacing behind the couch looking exactly like a caged animal. "Yeah, I guess I do," he finally bit out barely glancing at Blair. 

Blair inhaled sharply shuddering, "I- I don't know what to say." 

"Don't say anything, ok, just forget about it, please. Just forget about it and please, please Blair don't leave me, ok?" 

"I wouldn't leave you, Jim, I swear," Blair turned to look at Jim his blue eyes shining with sincerity. He was so beautiful, so dear, that Jim had to bite his lower lip to hold the moan of despair in. 

"You don't hate me?" Jim asked afraid of the answer, but having to ask. 

"Of course not," Blair rolled his eyes in exasperation, then he sighed and Jim knew that the "but" was coming. "But, I- I don't feel that way about you, I'm sorry, I..." 

"It's ok, I didn't really expect you to ,I mean I won't lie and say I didn't hope, but it's uh it's ok, really," Jim took a deep shuddering breath.He was talking too much, he was babbling -him, Jim Ellison! The humiliation, the pain was starting to hit him hard and he felt light headed. 

"Shit, man I'm sorry," Blair was suffering, too. Jim looked so miserable and he helped Jim, he always helped Jim, but he just couldn't help him this time, dammit. 

"I'll be fine, I just want to go out and uh, be by myself for a while, ok Chief?" Jim could barely look at Blair and he hurried over to the door to grab his jacket and keys. 

"Wait, would you rather I left and.." Blair offered his beautiful eyes filled with his own pain. 

"No no I'll see you later," Jim practically ran from the loft. 

* * *

The next few weeks were not fun. Oh so not fun. Jim avoided Blair as much as possible and the younger man feared irreparable damage had been done to their friendship. Some days he was mad at Jim for wanting him, and some days he was mad at himself for not wanting Jim. One day a thought occurred to him and as it took root in his mind it began to blossom. 

He really liked Jim, really, a lot. More than anyone he had ever known. True Jim could be a major asshole at times, but he also was the best friend anyone could ever have. Blair had fun with Jim, felt comfortable with him. Hel,l they were constantly together and aside from minor squabbles they never really fought, he never got tired of Jim. Jim, the friendship, the relationship, just got better and better. 

Blair tried vey hard to think of any woman who had ever made him feel like that and he couldn't think of one that came even close. And the truth was Blair Sandburg was getting tired of the dating game. He was getting tired of the continual first dates, the superficial relationships. He wanted to be with someone who really cared, who really mattered. 

What the hell! Scary as a relationship with any man, period, sounded trying a sexual relationship with Jim seemed as terrifying as jumping out of an airplane. But he'd done that before hadn't he? 

* * *

Blair jumped up nervously as soon as Jim entered the loft. The Sentinel gave his guide a strange look, taking note of his flushed face, racing heartbeat and uncontrolled bouncing. 

"Um, ok I've been giving this whole er um thing some thought and I think.... I think yeah maybe I'd like to uh try...it" Blair blurted out without any preamble or explanation, and turned redder. 

"Try it?" Chief what are you trying to say? Jim bit out irritably. It wasn't fair, but ever since his "confession" he couldn't be around Sandburg anymore, couldn't be nice, barely civil. 

"I'm saying we can um date... Blair bounced nervously as he paused, if you want" 

Jim stared at him in astonishment, then a rush of pure happiness surged through him,"If I want yeah of course I do- if you're sure?" 

"Hmm hmm just uh you know slow reallll slow, ok?" Sandburg giggled in his nervous way and damn did he look good all flustered and scared. 

"Ok anything you say," Jim grinned so happy he wanted to grab Sandburg up and twirl him around. He opted for more grinning. 

"Well?" Blair raised an eyebrow expectantly. 

"Well what?" Jim asked barely registering the question. He stared so hungrily at his friend Blair almost fled. But Blair Sandburg was made of sterner stuff than that. 

"Now you're supposed to ask me out!" 

End 


End file.
